8 July , Byron Shire EchoCommentTime for a reciprocal look at HowardVol JULY , Road to ReconciliationThe case for reconciliation with indigenous Australians seems to be on the backburner for both major political parties, and with the major news media, at the end of NAIDOC National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee Week. The theme of self-determination is particularly poignant given the federal governments plans to disband a peak indigenous body ATSIC. As Acting ATSIC Chairman Lionel Quartermaine notes, As Aboriginal and Torres
strait islander
peoples we need now, more than ever, to stand up for our culture, our way of life and ourselves. The scourges of substances abuse and family violence can only be contained and eradicated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples taking control of our own communities and developing our own solutions. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples also need the help and support of their fellow Australians to ensure that all of us have access to the same opportunities and a fair go. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can only move forward, however, if they are allowed to consolidate upon the measure of self-determination already achieved during many decades of struggle. It is nonsense to suggest that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are somehow less capable of governing their own futures than all other Australians. It is a nonsense perpetuated by paternalistic government and those who still believe that somehow indigenous Australians should be absorbed into a mythic whitebread culture, when our nation now thrives upon pluralism. Nevertheless, indigenous communities still carry the scars of the invasion of an aggressive nation over years ago and its shock and awe tactics which took their land and suppressed their culture. Locally, the Arakwal people at least have had some success in an historic agreement with the state government. The naming of the Byron headland national park after them recognises their claim to and history of living with the land. The employment opportunities within the national parks service and the handover by Council of the Broken Head caravan park provide some measure of income and control. We note, however, the ageing Arakwal custodians still wait on the houses and cultural centre promised to them. The wheels of government need to move faster if this promise is to have real meaning in terms of reconciliation. There has also been some backlash on the Arakwal opinion on the proposed zonings for the new marine park. It needs to be remembered that although settlers over the last years have a long tradition in using the waters off Byron Bay, the indigenous claim goes back further and deserves respect in any debate over the marine parks future. If we cant get the path to reconciliation clear in a Shire as supposedly enlightened as Byrons, then the road there for the nation seems a long and bumpy one.t least we know now why Mark Latham appeared to go over the top about inquiries into his past just because youre paranoid it doesnt mean that youre not being persecuted. Last week so-called political journalism in Australia hit a new low in its investigations into the Labor leader. To be precise, it hit two new lows. The first, predictably, came from the man the Liberals call their greatest asset, Alan Jones, who asked Latham for an interview about his policy. The request was a lie when Latham turned up all Jones wanted to talk about was the rumours about his last marriage, using disinformation based on an anonymous phone call and the collected works of the Daily Telegraphs resident hatchet man Piers Akerman works which Latham claims and Akerman and Jones do not deny largely originated in the bowels of the Liberal Party. Nasty as this was, it was pretty much par for the course by going anywhere near the Jones-Akerman axis of innuendo Latham must have known the risks he ran. But what followed, as they say in the ads, was totally unexpected. On Saturday the Sydney Morning Herald emerged with what was billed as a profile of Latham. It was nothing of the kind. It did not deal with his ideas, achievements, policies or vision at all and it barely touched on his career in parliament. Instead, it regurgitated every rumour it could find relating to what the Americans call character - by which they mean a kind of puritan morality, especially in regard to sex. The piece was both grubby and impertinent. It was theAsort of journalism youd prefer to handle with tongs Akerman would have been proud of it. It was also grossly unbalanced unless were going to see a similar muckraking exercise on the life and times of John Winston Howard next week, which is not very likely. However, justbring him into such contempt among his own peer group Then there are the parties he used to throw in his office in the old Parliament House, events which gained some notoriety as Howards meat markets. Numbers of young female staffers were lured toWhy do all not some, but all of the Liberal leaders under whom he served loathe him Why do they call him, variously, treacherous, untrustworthy, racist, pig-headed, shortsighted, dishonest, stupid and viciousConfronted with such an interrogation our beloved Prime Minister would undoubtedly say that he would not dignify it with acknowledgement, let alone answers, and he would be perfectly within his rights to do so. But this was just the kind of sludge the Herald expected Latham to wade through to justify his credentials as a political leader. A garbage proposition, and garbage journalism to match. were the subject garbage, A nd whileofreturnedonto last week Howard the concept of the headland speech, the idea he employed to avoid discussing policies for his first term in .The term for the oration in which he avoided discussing policy for his fourth term was over the horizon it could equally have been called round the bend, or perhaps off the planet. Its theme was that Howard was looking to create in Australia an enterprise culture, a sustainable continent, and a fair and decent society well, after eight and a half years its about time. Just why he had not attempted these laudable ideals to date, or how he was going to move on them in the future was not part of the speech. He did, however, deplore the coarsening of our culture, which included road rage, misconduct on football clubs and death of cricketer David Hookes. Curiously, the breakdown of all traditional standards of political ethics over which he has lovingly presided did not get a mention. But that, of course, is something for his successors to clean up. Over the horizon indeed just not on Howards radar.by Mungo MacCallumin case, may I suggest a few lines of inquiry the intrepid investigators Damien Murphy and Deborah Hope might like to follow, along the same pattern they employed while digging the dirt on Latham. For starters, Howards brief legal career included stints with Stephen Jacques and Stephen and with Truman, Nelson and Howard. Lets talk to his bosses how competent was he Was he involved in any serious cases or was he just a nondescript little clerk Did they entrust him with the keys to the safe How did his fellow employees feel about him Did the women find him a bit creepy Did he ever try and trap them by the water cooler Then there are his political colleagues. Why do all not some, but all of the Liberal leaders under whom he served loathe him Why do they call him, variously, treacherous, untrustworthy, racist, pig-headed, shortsighted, dishonest, stupid and vicious And thats just the people on his own side. What are the fatal flaws that these functions for the delectation of lonely members. Howard was effectively acting as a procurer, as a pimp. How does he feel about promoting promiscuity, adultery, marriage break up, unintended pregnancies and abortions And what of his own activities For a time he shared a flat with Warwick Parer, a minister he unconscionably and inexplicably forgave for a blatant conflict of interest. Did Parer witness something he shouldnt have during those years Were there overnight visitors Did Howard ever suggest that one of his Treasury staffers might like to get a feel of the private sector And can he explain the rumours that the real reason the Howards stayed in Kirribilli House rather than move to The Lodge was that Janette did not trust him alone in Canberra So has Howard ever had sex with anyone other than his wife And while were at it, could he explain the precise nature of his relationship with Barbara WilliamsBrunswick Heads Holistic Dental CentreCentre for biological biocompatible dentistrythis weekpagesIntroducing Dr Gavin StuartI graduated from Manchester University in July and worked in the local area for two years and have since been working in Australia. I enjoy all aspects of dentistry but am particularly interested in cosmetic dentistry, general restorative dentistry, surgery, phobic patients, worn dentition and night grinders. My philosophy is to treat patients as people and not as a set of teeth. I am very gentle and really enjoy treating children as I come from a large Irish family and have a lot of experience with children. Away from work I enjoy literature, music, playing the guitar and am hoping to learn how to play the piano. I also enjoy various sports including swimming, scuba diving and keeping fit. I will be treating patients from Monday August 2 and look forward to meeting youDr Nigel Cluer Principal B.D.Sc Hons Dr Marcus OMeara B.D.Sc. Dr Michael Darveniza Ph. D, M.D. Sc Qld F.R.A.C.D.S T.M.J, Crown Bridge Specialist Julie Woods RN, Health Sciences, Nutrition MedicineLetters . Articles . TV Guide . Holidays . Seven Entertainment Mandy Nolans Roundup . Writers Festival . Cinema Reviews . Gig Guide . Eating Out Guide . Alphabet Feature . Service Directory . Classifieds . Sport. 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